As Long as You're mine
by gububba
Summary: Harry left Ginny but she has some plans of her own.  Year 7 fic starts just before Bill's wedding.Note: I do not own really any of this just borrowing the characters for a bit of fun!
1. Chapter 1

He was coming. A shiver ran down her back as she grimaced. You would think that the butterflies would have given up by now after all that had happened the last days before summer at Hogwarts. Why should she be so worried about seeing him? He was the one that had broken it off, had walked away and, in the process, had broken her heart. That day, she had looked vacantly past the white coffin and felt that everything she had ever hoped for, ever dreamed of, walked away with him. For a moment, she turned in her chair to hopefully see him glance back towards her. Secretly, she wanted him to come back to her to tell her that he changed his mind that wanted her again, that he needed her. But those type of things only ever happened in fairy tales. He never came back to her - never looked. Instead, he was cornered by Rufus Scrimgeour, and she walked through the crowd in the opposite direction from Harry towards Dumbledore's tomb. She placed her hand on the surprisingly warm marble, gently caressing it, saying good bye to a mentor and friend. She heard her mother calling her name. But before she had to speak to anyone else, she made her way to the train.

She had found an empty compartment on the train, closed the shades and slumped into the seat. She sat there for what felt like hours before she knew what she was going to do. She knew what was bothering her. She knew then and there she was not going to let him go without letting him know … letting him know how she felt. And now, he was coming.

_Okay, Gin, come on, pull yourself together, _she thought. _It's not like he's coming here for you. Bill is getting married tomorrow - that is why he'll be here. It's just an unfortunate coincidence that he is your brother's best mate. Not only that, but he has been an accepted member of your family for years now. If you weren't here, he wouldn't even notice. _She sighed and continued to set up the camp bed for Hermione.

At least Hermione would be there in a few hours. It had been a lonely summer with only her mother and Phlegm as company. As if letting Harry leave her was not hard enough, Ron had announced that he was not coming home until the wedding. The thought of a month alone had been enough for Ginny to ask Hermione if she wouldn't mind staying with her for a couple of weeks, just the girls. She could see the indecision and regret that played across her friend's face as Hermione informed her that she would be staying on Privet Drive with Harry and Ron. Ginny wasn't sure if she envied or pitied her. Envy had won out. _Even if you were there with them, he wouldn't have noticed you._ Sometimes the voice in her head sounded disturbingly like Tom, but it always brought her back to reality. He hadn't noticed her all the times that they had shared a house before. Things were just going to go back to the way that they had always been. It would be a party of three—Ron, Harry, and Hermione—with little Ginny standing on the outskirts praying that they might notice her.

She looked in the mirror and took in her reflection. _If that is the way that you want to play it, Potter, then I will show you just what you'll be missing. _Opening her closet, she knew her next move. She gaze fell upon the one thing that she was dreading about the wedding … more than seeing Harry: that dress.

Ginny figured that her future sister-in-law hated her. For someone so beautiful, stylish, and graceful, she had the worst taste in picking out other people's clothes. Ginny sighed. At least, the dress wasn't pink like the one Gabrielle wanted. Pink and puffy - she would have looked like the "good witch" in the movie that her father had taken her to as a child. She remembered him saying to her mother as they left, "Every child should be exposed to Muggle entertainment at some time." She couldn't understand how a witch could have a green face—not even hags have green faces. Maybe it had been a glamour charm that had gone wrong. She had laughed when she saw the goblins dancing and singing around the puffy witch. Everyone knew that goblins were awful and never sang or danced. The only thing that she really liked was the idea of being able to ride in a pink bubble and wear a crown all the time.

Ginny looked at the gold dress that was hanging in her closet. The color was nice but that is where the appeal of the dress had ended. There was a huge bow on the back. She hated bows. The dress looked like it was threatening to strangle her at the neck. And the sleeves were a sight of ribbon and silk. It was ghastly - almost as bad as Ron's dress robes at the Yule ball. The thought of wearing the dress in front of everyone made her a little sick. At least it wasn't pink! That thought consumed her. After a moment of contemplating her doom, a wicked thought entered her mind, and she grinned as she thought to herself. _The dress looked like something that belonged to a child, and she was no child. She decided that tomorrow everyone, including Harry, would see that. _

Harry was set to arrive at the Burrow that afternoon. Wanting to be anywhere but there when he arrived, she ran down the stairs and out the door, ignoring the calls from her mother for help. There was only one place that she could escape to. Ginny had always found solace on the Quidditch pitch; there was just something about flying. She would go there when she missed her brothers while they were away at Hogwarts. She had spent most of her summer after her first year up there flying. But today, she had to escape from a different boy that filled her head. She needed time to think and compose herself before he arrived.

There was no way that she was going to act like that little girl who was so shy she had thought it a good idea to send a valentine to the great Harry Potter in her first year to get him to notice her. _Right, like a cupid singing about pickled toads was going to win his heart._ She chuckled. She was not going to act like a lovesick puppy or run away from him. This was her house. If he didn't want to see her, then he should be the one avoiding her. He may find out what she was going to do and talk her out of it. So when her mother told her that she was expecting the three to be arriving in an hour or two, she threw on her trainers and went straight to the broom shed. There was only one place where she could think and that was 50 feet in the air.

She felt the wind encircle her as she pushed off from the ground. She never understood how Hermione could hate flying. When she flew, she felt free. She raced from one end of the pitch to the other, throwing in a Sloth Grip Roll here and there. She held on to the handle of her broomstick and aimed it straight down. At the last second, she pulled up on the handle and felt her toes scrape through the grass under her. From behind her, she heard a whoop and clapping. Her heart skipped a beat.

"And I thought I was a good flier!" His voice caught her off guard as she spun around on her broomstick.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny looked down from her perch above the figure that had made his way onto the pitch from the cover of the trees.

"It's the Quidditch Cup player extraordinaire!" she said to the man that came into the clearing carrying a broomstick over his shoulder. "Charlie, my favorite brother! When did you arrive home?"

"Just a bit ago. Mum was worried about you and thought I could talk you down from there."

"Just because I said you were my favorite brother doesn't allow you to treat me like I'm two. I'll come down when I am perfectly ready," she said defensively, making Charlie chuckle. As a second thought, she included, "Don't tell the other four that you're my favorite. They all think that they're my favorites!" she teased. She scolded herself. Four? She had five brothers. _Right - like I can really count Percy as my favorite brother. I can't really count him as a brother at all right now. I would rather kiss a troll than talk to him anytime soon._

Charlie jumped onto his broom and flew up to meet her. As if being able to read her thoughts, he laughed, "And how do I not know that Percy isn't your favorite and that you are just feeding me a line?" It was meant as a joke, but both smiles seemed a little pained at that comment, the laughter a little bit forced.

Ginny switched her thoughts to playful banter, "That is one thing you will have to take on faith. But look … anyone that has a brother that trains dragons … and well … who is as cool as you are would say that you're their favorite." Ginny turned from her brother and looked off into the tree line, sighing deeply. She just really wanted to be alone.

Charlie looked at her. "You know, I have a sister that pulls a face like that when something is weighing on her mind," he said, sweeping closer to her and putting his arm around her.

She looked into his eyes, which were the same bright brown as hers. She may have looked like the twins to most people; but to those that knew Charlie, he could be seen in her eyes. Looking into them, it seemed like she was looking into her own. It was amazing that with so many years separating them, they were still so close.

"Are you going to tell me what is in that head of yours, or do I have to somehow pry it out of you?"

She looked over at him, took a deep dramatic breath, and stated. "Okay, I was the one that put the spider on Ron's pillow causing mum to have to check his bed sheets every night for two years after," she said, laughing merrily.

"That is not what I was talking about, and how dare you let the twins take the fall for that one," he said, surprised.

"Charlie, you would be shocked at all the things the twins laid claim to as we were growing up that they weren't responsible for." They both laughed together, sharing stories of their childhoods, but as they talked, both their gazes were drawn by unseen forces to stare out past the horizon.

"It looks like I'm not the only one with secrets," she commented, looking over at her brother.

"Secrets," he said with a forced chuckle that let her know he was truly hiding something. "But hey, you can't keep secrets from your favorite brother!" he said in a mocking tone. "Seriously, Gingersnap, if you need someone to talk to, you know you can tell me anything, right?" His gaze returned to contemplating the clouds moving lazily in the sky.

She nodded in agreement. It would be nice to talk things out with someone other than Hermione. Plus, she needed someone who wasn't close to the situation, and that ruled out Ron. Charlie had been great with her after the incident during first year; his letters had been full of support. He wouldn't betray her secret to anyone. Turning the tables back on him, she replied, "And you can't keep secrets from your favorite sister. So I am going to make a deal with you. You tell me what is going on in that head of yours, and I'll share with you what you want to know." Charlie agreed to the deal, but she decided if needs be, she could fly away from him and hide. She was already avoiding one person staying at the house; a second wouldn't really be any harder, right?

Charlie began, "You can't tell anyone that I told you this, and Mum would kill me if she knew." He paused as he carefully chose his words. She knew whatever it was he was going to tell her, he couldn't say in any other way. "I am not the only Weasley in Romania."

Ginny almost fell off her broom but tried to remain composed. "If you think that you're not the only Weasley in Romania, then you are not as smart as they all told me you were, Charlie." He looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "You know," she continued just as calmly, "your mother is just going to kill you. Way to steal Bill's thunder!" They both laughed, and she began to ask a million questions at once. "When? Where? Wait; she isn't pregnant, is she? Because then mum would really kill you! Why haven't you told anyone?"

"I'll tell you if you ever let me get a word in." Ginny stopped her rambling, so her brother could continue. "We eloped the night before Hogwarts was attacked. And no, she is not pregnant. We had been together for some time and decided to elope. She has no family, and I felt that the large Weasley family and a wedding mum would think acceptable would be a little overwhelming to her."

Charlie looked at his sister and continued, "We were actually planning on coming home and letting Mum and Dad know about our little secret that next night. Then after all that happened, we didn't feel like we should. After that, I never really found the right time to slip it into a conversation. 'By the way, Mum, let me introduce you to your new daughter-in-law.' She would have had kittens! She has been so stressed with this whole wedding. Why make her more upset?"

He looked at Ginny as she listened, nodding her head in agreement. She knew first hand what their mother had been like the past few months. He began again. "I need your help, though. Hayden will be here tonight. Will you please be kind to her, and maybe help her feel at home? I promise we will let everyone know soon - just not tonight."

"Any wife of yours is a sister of mine, right? Unless she is a snotty uptight girl who doesn't get dirty, can't talk so that others can understand her, and won't let me pick out my own clothes when we throw you the reception that Mum will insist upon, then, of course, I will love her."

Charlie laughed with relief. "You don't ask for too much, do you? With you in my corner, who needs anyone else? Now little sister, are you going to tell me what is weighing on you so deeply?"

Ginny paused. She needed to think of something believable to tell him quickly. How could she tell him what she had planned? Forget Harry stopping her; Charlie would put a stop to her plan right then and there. But then again, she felt this overwhelming need to tell someone, and maybe he would understand.

"Harry is planning on taking on Voldermort, and I'm going to go with him," she said in one breath. Charlie looked at her with a shocked and questioning look.

"I don't know where Harry, and I figure probably Ron and Hermonie, all think they're going, but Harry is not going anywhere. For that matter, neither you, Ron or Hermione are going anywhere either. Are you crazy? With everything that is happening, you think it would be a good time to go out on a Voldermort expedition? This is not a game; this is war." Charlie was becoming very frustrated.

"Forget it. I knew I shouldn't have told you." Ginny started to turn the handle of her broomstick, moving away from her brother, hiding the hurt that she felt from trusting him with this, and being treated like she was incapable in his eyes.

"No, I'm sorry for upsetting you, but what do you think you're doing, though? Did he talk you into this? I swear I'm going to have to talk to that boy."

"Charlie! He has nothing to do with this. He doesn't even want me!" Every emotion came pouring out of her at once, making her shake with anger and cry from loneliness.

Charlie flew closer to Ginny and held her through her tears. "I may regret asking this, but what do you mean he doesn't want you?"

Ginny looked up. "No - nothing like that. Just that Harry Potter thinks he's being all noble."

"OK, that really cleared things up for me," Charlie teased.

"Charlie, you weren't here; you don't know what's been happening. I had everything, everything that I ever wanted, and in one fell swoop the Death Eaters barged into Hogwarts and took it all away in one night. Why did they have to come and screw it all up? Why doesn't he understand I'm in just as much danger here or at Hogwarts as I would be with him?"

Charlie looked at his little sister, who no longer looked like that little girl that he taught to ride her first broom. He understood what Harry had done, and he thought that he would try to make her understand. "Ginny, he needs you to be safe. We need you to be safe. I can't…" His voice caught a little. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you!"

"You all think that you can keep me safe, but you can't. I am a Weasley. I had a target on me that is a large as great-aunt Muriel and as red as my hair even before I was with Harry. If your memory is limited, I was not safe at Hogwarts. There will come a time I'm not safe here, so why can't I fight, too? You all are involved in the war. You don't think that I'm made of the same Weasley strength? I am so tired of being little Ginny. Have you faced him? No, you haven't! You've been in Romania getting married! I had him in my head for a year! Doesn't that count for something? I know him. How is it that one of the only people that can be of use is being coddled and treated like a five year old wanting to sit at the grownup's table? It's Harry that has to fight this fight, and I know you lot will be right alongside him. But look, if Harry needs anyone by his side, it's going to be me."

Charlie couldn't fight with her reasoning. She was no longer a child and had faced and seen things in her short life that he could never imagine. She had won. He knew that once Ginny put her mind to something, she usually figured out a way to get it. Not wanting to think about his little sister trying to save the world, he flew off towards The Burrow, initiating a race between them. She followed him, knowing their conversation was over and that he understood her decision. Maybe he could be the one to explain it to the rest of the family.

They both landed next to the broom shed and hung their selected brooms onto their hooks. As they turned and walked past the garden, she could see into the kitchen. Ron and Harry were sitting at the table waiting for Mrs. Weasley's to serve lunch. She stood rooted to the spot not knowing where to turn.

She felt a calming arm around her shoulder. "Come on, sis, I'm starving!" She looked up into Charlie's beaming face. "It will be alright, just sit by me. I'll keep your elbows out of the butter dish!"

Ginny blushed at the thought and stood a little taller as she walked into the kitchen, smoothing out her old tee-shirt and shorts. It's not like he hadn't ever seen her in her workout clothes, as well as sweaty with mussed hair. Why then, at that moment, did she feel like she had to look like one of those girls at school that spent all their time in front of the mirror? That was not the girl that she was, and no boy was going to change her. She took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen with her brother.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry looked up as Ginny entered the room. She was standing in the doorway, allowing her eyes to adjust from the bright summer sun and giving him a moment to study her unnoticed. He had begun to wonder where she was, but did not dare ask without betraying to everyone including himself his true feelings about her. He been there for over three hours and hadn't seen her once. He just wanted to see her, to know she was there, that she was safe. And now she had finally found her way inside with the protective arm of Charlie around her shoulders. The moment she entered the room he felt calmer. He tried to turn away from her before either of the Weasley men noticed him staring at their sister. His eyes quickly turned from her, and into those of Charlie, which in turn flashed back at him, a grin playing on his face. Charlie had seen him. He knew exactly what he had been doing, but, unlike the twins, he kept it to himself.

Harry realized that over time he had picked up a few nasty Weasley traits. Something he figured was unavoidable after sharing a dorm room with Ron for six years. And, at this moment, one of those "inherited" traits made itself known. He began to feel the heat and flush of red skin traveling up his neck all the way to his cheeks, and he had to think of something quickly to slow his beating heart before the blush reached his ears.

She was the only girl he ever knew that could make him react that way. There had been other girls that had turned his head, but there was something about Ginny that could awaken the sleeping beast that resided within him. Daring another look at her caused that beast, which he thought he had silenced weeks ago, to begin pacing again. She looked truly wild. He could tell she had been flying; it was almost like he could smell the wind on her. She always looked amazing after she had been flying.

Ginny walked further into the room and at that moment felt his gaze upon her. She turned to meet his eyes and threw him a quick smile. Well, at least she didn't pull her wand on him. He wouldn't blame her if she did. He would almost welcome one of her famous Bat-Bogey Hexes; maybe it would make him look as horrible as he felt.

He kept telling himself it was for her own good that he broke things off. If he had let their relationship continue, he would have been putting her within the Death Eaters ever-increasing reach. He couldn't, no, wouldn't do that to her. He would never forgive himself if something happened to her. So he had left her the day they buried Dumbledore. He walked away from her and from any future that they may have hoped to have together in order to give the rest of the world its future.

His thoughts were brought back to the present as Mrs. Weasley levitated lunch onto the table. He tried to make eye contact with her, willing her to sit by him, but was disappointed as she and Charlie sat on the other side of the table whispering like girls in the school yard and even every once in a while giggling. He liked to watch her laugh. In her laugh, he felt everything he had ever wanted. Within her laugh, he felt hope.

Lunch was uneventful. Ginny and Charlie had continued their conversation in hushed tones on one side of the table, while on the other side of the table, Ron was trying to catch Harry up on the Chudley Cannon's latest game. If you had asked him later, he wouldn't have been able to tell you who had won or what the score was; all he could say he learned at lunch was that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't take his eyes off the redhead sitting across from him.

Hermione arrived later that afternoon, after parting with the boys the night before and returning home to spend some much-needed time with her parents and away from the habits that one encounters when living with two boys. When she arrived, it seemed that she and Ron disappeared for a good part of the afternoon leaving Harry alone.

Harry laughed to himself. Did they really think that he didn't know what was happening between his friends? He would wait for them to say something to him, but he was happy they had finally found each other even if it left less time for the three of them. He laughed at himself for not noticing the change in their relationship before. But then again, he was occupied elsewhere. At that time, he had Ginny.

How he wished that he could have her with him like Ron and Hermione would have each other. At times, it just felt right that she be by his side. It could be the four of them fighting for the rest of the wizard world. He had to remind himself that he would be going alone had it not been for Ron and Hermione confronting him after the funeral. He vowed to himself that though he was going to let them come with him, he would protect them with his life. He felt guilty enough about them coming with him and putting them in harms way. There was no way he was going to let Ginny go and risk her as well. And so, he could not get close to her again. He was close to his friends and would be devastated if anything happened to them. But with her there was a connection that neither could deny, and because of that he could not continue what they started. He would not let Voldermort take her away from him or be responsible for the same kind of pain to others that he felt every time he thought of those that had been taken from him.

He just needed to see her before he left, to be in the same room as her, but that seemed like it was impossible. After lunch, she and Charlie had disappeared just like his two best friends. Was the entire Weasley family avoiding him? If they were, who could blame them? He was responsible for everything bad that had happened to them: the attack on Bill, leaving him horrifically scared and under unnecessary observation by those at the ministry that feared anything that was different, the snake attack on Mr. Weasley, Ron's brain-scarred arms, and then there was Ginny. He couldn't even think of the things that Voldermort, no that Tom made her do. They had all been hurt one way or another because of him. Percy no longer talked to his family because of him. No wonder they didn't want to be around him that afternoon.

He tried to talk to her at any chance he could get, but the timing never seemed right. Every time he thought he had a moment alone with her, Charlie would show up and would either ask her to help him with something or would sit with them and talk about Romania. Not that his job wasn't interesting, but at that moment Harry really didn't want to know the many different uses there were in the world for dragon dung. He was finally saved by the twins showing up and asking to show him some of the new items they were contemplating selling at the shop. He took a final look back and smiled at Ginny, who didn't seem all that happy that he had been taken from the room; but then again, it could have just been his imagination - or the discussion of dung.

It was nearing time for dinner, and Harry was out in the garden with the twins helping set up the tables and chairs. It seemed the twins were having too good of a time seeing who could conjure up the fanciest chair. At present, George's sat about eight feet high and was as wide as a love seat, and Fred's was entirely gold with jewels entwined in elaborate carvings. Harry was standing by, amused but in no mood to play along with them.

"Those are some chairs. So which one is mine?" His heart began beating wildly at the sound of her voice. He turned around to face her, trying to calm that caged beast. It always amazed him how her voice was so soft yet so strong. "If they keep this up, there will be no room for the rest of us."

Harry chuckled. "Well, at least they will make tonight's dinner more entertaining. King George and King Fred presiding while the rest of us trying to squeeze onto a tiny bench."

What did he just say? He was an idiot. She finally talked to him, and all he had to say something like that. Though the thought of her squished sitting next to him did not sound so bad. What was wrong with him? He turned again to face her. He could see a hint of sorrow behind her dancing eyes. "Ginny, I…" He really needed to talk to her, to know that she understood. Before he could say anymore, there was movement by the kitchen door. A woman that he had never seen had just walked out of the kitchen and was making her way towards them. His hand immediately went to hover over his wand.

Just before he pulled his wand on her, he heard a voice calling from the other side of the garden. "Is that anyway to welcome a guest?" Charlie asked. He walked over to the group and pulled the woman into a long embrace. "Harry, this is Hayden. She is…well, she um…she is here with me for the wedding." Charlie had felt flustered in trying to introduce Hayden to Harry. He hadn't figured how to introduce her to everyone and was not prepared.

Charlie turned to the ladies and said, "If you would excuse us, I think we need to have a small talk." Walking up next to him and putting a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder he pulled him away from Hayden and Ginny

_Great_, Harry thought_. This is just what I need right now. A 'Hey Harry, if you hurt her, I'll kill you' speech._ He was very surprised by what followed.

With all the concern of an older brother, he started, "Harry, if you ask me, you really need to relax, man. You're safe here. Now there are going to be a lot of people coming in and out of here. We need to calm you down, or you may end up blasting off something important. I know just the right way. Come with me."

There he was again. All Harry wanted was a moment alone with Ginny. But with Charlie around, that seemed like it would be an impossibility.

Harry's body relaxed and he begrudgingly followed the older Weasley, moving away from Ginny and Charlie's ... date, coworker, friend? That had not been clarified in the short frustrated introduction that he had received. _Oh well_, he thought. _We're not going to be leaving for a few more days. There will still be plenty chances to talk to Ginny about everything. _

As the two men walked into the trees, Charlie summoned two brooms and a snitch. "You know, Harry, there is one thing I have always wanted to do with you."


	4. Chapter 4

Harry and Charlie came stumbling out of the trees quite disheveled - dirt on their faces, tree in their hair and both laughing so hard until they almost couldn't breathe. The pair of them barely able to stand up straight tripping blindly over each other's feet. _Great, _Ginny thought. _I'm going to kill Charlie. They're both pissed. _Of course the entire family was sitting ready for dinner. Molly looked at her boys with a look only a mother can. To anyone on the outside of the family, it would be one of worry and love; to her children, though, it was one that struck fear into the depths of their souls. She slowly asked them where they had gone off to, giving Charlie a look warning him that she wanted to know what they had been up to. However, part of her was not so sure she really wanted to know.

One of the twins yelled out, "Charlie you and Harry couldn't wait until the stag party tonight?" Breaking the tension the filled the air, the family laughed at the look the two had thrown in the direction of the twins. After assuring the family that they were in fact sober, they regaled them, between fits of laughter, with a story of the head to head match between them to prove who the better seeker was, which ended in both of them crashing into the trees and the Weasleys no longer in possession of a golden snitch in their collection of Quidditch balls. As they both animatedly told their tale, Ginny saw a Harry that she had not seen for weeks. This was her Harry, and it was comforting to her to know that he was still in there somewhere.

Dinner was like any other dinner at the Weasleys when they were all together. It was complete and total chaos. If someone asked for the potatoes or the salt, whatever someone asked for was kept impossibly out of reach by the twins passing it among everyone but to the one that requested it. Molly had cooked more than enough to feed about ten more people, and the flow of conversation was completely random. At one moment, they were talking about different Quidditch teams and the next whether the price of potions was being affected by the war. It was dizzying to try to follow, but Ginny wouldn't have it any other way.

After they had all had their fill, dinner was cleaned up, and they all made their way into the living room. There was not a seat left to be had as they filled couches, chairs, rug space and benches. The way they were crammed into the room would have made even a sardine uncomfortable, but to Ginny, she felt nothing but the love of her family as they told all the stories she had heard a million times of growing up Weasley. Every few moments, she found herself glancing over to where Harry sat with Ron and Hermione. He looked up meeting her gaze. Within the exchange between them, she saw the sadness in his eyes return again. She knew what it was about. It was a longing for those things that had been taken away from him so many years ago. She hoped that maybe, through her eyes, he could see that she would offer him the life that he always wanted.

She knew it was only a few moments that they had looked at each other before shyness had overtaken her and forced her to turn away. When she found the courage to look at him again, she found that he was still staring. _Has he been looking at me the whole time?_ She hoped that he had. She continued looking at him, being drawn into those deep green eyes that connected her to Harry's soul. The party soon broke up. The boys decided that they were going to take Bill out for his last night as a free man. Instead of having to listen to her mother obsess over one more thing about the wedding, Ginny decided to go to bed.

Hermione joined her as she headed toward the stairs and pulled her quickly into her room. "Ginny, Harry told me what happened at Dumbledore's funeral. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Hermione. Can we just talk about something else tonight than what happened between us?" Giving her a wary look, Hermione conceded to her wishes and turned the conversation to the upcoming wedding.

At some point in their discussion of the wedding, Ginny realized that Hermione's responses were slowly becoming more and more incomprehensible - going from full answers to yes or no to grunts to indicate agreement until finally she had fallen asleep at some point in the conversation. Soon Ginny found herself alone and unable to sleep.

She spent the night tossing and turning. At first, she was worried about waking Hermione, but she soon discovered that there was no need as her friend was completely asleep. How she wished she could be lost to that kind of deep sleep! But every time she closed her eyes, she was tormented by Harry's soulful green eyes. After hours of trying to will herself to sleep, she gave up and went to the kitchen to get a glass of warm milk. It was a comfort to her. Her mother used to make it for her when she was little and couldn't sleep. She was sitting at the table, lost in thought, while looking into the endless swirling milk and vanilla in her cup when she heard the stairs creak and a whispered curse. She held her breath. She was not the only one awake in the house. If she didn't know her brother better, she would have thought it was the boys just getting home. But Bill knew better than to upset a Veela and show up smashed hours before the wedding. She assumed they were all back and trying to sleep off whatever they had consumed that night. Even if Fleur was only part Veela, it was enough to scare anyone straight. She figured that it was one of her parents or Bill walking on the stairs as he had seemed awfully nervous tonight.

She was somewhat surprised to see that it was Harry. He was dressed in plaid pants and a ratty old tee shirt that was a little bit too snug on him, showing off his flat stomach and defined arms. As he was turning the corner, he was still unaware of her staring at him. When he entered the kitchen, he stopped, surprised to see her awake and sitting at the table. He looked like he had forgotten what had sent him down the stairs in the first place. After a long pause at the bottom of the stairs where he seemed to be debating whether to stay in the kitchen or bolt back up to Ron's room, he stated the obvious, "Couldn't sleep either huh?" He apprently had decided to stay.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "Too much to think about tonight, I guess." Stopping herself from betraying what was really on her mind, she continued, "It's going to be a big day tomorrow. I guess I'm just too excited to sleep. I thought maybe I needed something to help me relax a bit and permit me to sleep maybe a few hours before this house is turned inside out in the morning." She lifted up the mug like a salute. "There is some more milk on the stove if you would like some."

"Thanks, maybe that would help." Harry walked over to the cupboard and took a mug out. He poured himself a glass of milk and leaned against the cupboards with his arms folded, staring at her again and complete silence seemed to envelop them. She wanted to know what was going through that head of his. Harry couldn't seem to think of anything to say, and fumbled over the few words he tried to put together. His milk hardly touched, Harry set his cup in the sink and said, "I guess I'll just head back up to bed. Thanks for the milk."

Harry passed Ginny, who was still sitting at the table, as he left the kitchen. He thought he heard her voice once again, but it was so soft he he thought he might have imagined it. Then he heard it again. It was only one word, but it was the one word he did not want to hear.

"Why?" Such a simple question, but her small voice was filled with pain and doubt.

He turned to look at her. Her brown eyes swirling with the tears that were threatening to overtake her face. His heart broke just looking at her. He didn't want it to be this way. He couldn't do this to her. He needed her. He wanted to run over to her to hold her - to never leave her side. But he felt it more important to keep her safe than to indulge his selfish wants. _That's right, Potter, just keep telling yourself that. Everything will be over soon enough. And then if you are still around, maybe she will let you back into her life."_

"What?" he asked her, buying himself time, trying to get his emotions in check. He did not want to have this conversation. Not yet. Not now. Not tonight.

"Why? Why do you care?" She asked again, this time a tear betrayed her, and she angrily brushed it off her cheek.

He looked at her, her question taking him back to the day of their hushed conversation after the funeral. It was a moment he wished everyday that he could either forget or take back. He really was a git. He had to go to her, to comfort her. He couldn't handle hurting her. He couldn't just go back to bed and leave her sitting there. Stilling his rapidly beating heart, he walked over to her.

He gently touched her face with his rough calloused hands. She leaned into his hand, relishing the feel of his touch, which she had missed so much. Gently stroking her cheek ever so slowly with his thumb, he began talking to her. "Ginny, don't cry, please." He never did know what to do with a crying girl in front of him - even if it was his fault that she was crying. "You know what has to happen and what I have to do. We talked about this." He pulled his had from her face and nervously ran his fingers through his already messy hair.

"I can't put you in a position where things might … where people could..." His voice cracked. He struggled until he was able to make the words finally come. Eyes unable to meet hers, he continued. "I couldn't bear it if something happened to you. I couldn't live with myself if Voldermort found out about us and came after you."

"Right," she said angrily, "as if he doesn't already know. You don't think that Malfloy or someone else hasn't told him about us? He knows. Why can't you see that? Why then can't I fight with you? Ron and Hermione can be with you, fight with you."

Harry looked at her, surprised. They hadn't told anyone yet about leaving.

"You think I didn't know Potter? Do you think that I am stupid enough to believe that you would be going this alone? That you are going to go off to fight Voldemort alone? You can take them with you. But be careful of little Ginny, she can't take care of herself. You know what? I can take care of myself! Harry, you think that you are protecting me. How is walking away from me protecting me?" All at once it was to much and she couldn't even stand to be in the same room as Harry.

As Ginny stood up, the chair under her fell onto the floor so loudly that Harry was afraid it would wake the house. She ran past Harry and up the stairs to her room where she shut the door and finally let her tears consume her.

--------------

Harry sat unable to wrap his mind on what had just happened. He stood to pick up Ginny's fallen chair, cleaned up the kitchen and made his way back up the stairs, taking care to step over the stair that betrayed unwilling to be confronted with any of the other Weasleys tonight. He walked into the room he and Ron were sharing and collapsed onto his cot.

_Well, that could have gone better_, he thought. _Ok, it could have gone a lot better. Potter, stop being a prat! The girl is right; she is in danger with or without you. Ron and Hermione will have each other, so maybe it wouldn't hurt to have someone as well._ No matter how hard he tried, no matter what the defense, the voices in his head wouldn't stop pleading Ginny's case.

As he finally fell asleep, he dreamed a dream he had had many times before. It was a summer day but one that he could feel sadness in. He and Ginny were walking up a hill by the lake at Hogwarts hand in hand. The sun was setting, and they were walking to something or someone waiting for them. Every night that he had that dream, they would make it to the top of the hill and should have been able to see what was on the other side. But no matter how many times the dream came, he never saw what they were walking to.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny could feel the warm breath of a southern wind embracing her as she lazily walked the grounds at Hogwarts. Something was guiding her path but she was not sure where that path was leading or where her journey would end. She lately had been walking the grounds in search of something or someone but never accomplished her goal. Today she was going to make it. She knew she was about to see what she had been searching for over the past month. She was so close she felt as if her heart was singing. As she walked over the crest of a hill she saw finally what her heart had been searching for. Harry was standing in the clearing. He looked up at her and running his hands through his hair gave her a smile that made her weak in the knees. They both made their way to each other; he took her in his arms and was quick in decreasing the distance between the two of them. He lifted her face to meet his and as she closed her eyes in anticipation of a kiss a scream pierced the air. Startled Ginny quickly turned to see who was screaming.

Ginny bolted up in bed trying to catch her breath, eyes darting around the room. The sun was shining brightly through the window filling the room with the first rays of morning light. She looked to Hermione's cot, empty. Though Hermione was gone she knew she was not the one that was responsible for waking her and wedding or no wedding who ever was responsible was going to be the recipient of one nasty bat boogie hex. Grumbling as she swung her feet out of bed to investigate what was the source of trouble she was startled by her door flying open. She grabbed her wand from her nightstand ready to hex the first person that walked through the door. Before she was able to get a curse out Harry came into the room brandishing his wand as if Voldermort himself was in the room.

"Harry!!! What the hell do you think you are doing?" She was livid how he could dare to just barge into her room after last night was beyond comprehension.

Flustered he replied, "But you were…but there was…well I woke up to someone screaming. I thought it was you." The last part came out in a hurried mumble. He lowered his wand embarrassed of the scene he imagined in his head of Ginny being in trouble and needing his help, proving true the things he had said to her the night before.

"You heard screaming and automatically assumed it was from me? Do you really think I need protection around the clock? Do you really think me that incapable? Is that why you don't want me around? You think that I would just be in the way and need to be saved all the time? That's how you see me isn't it? All I am to you is the lifeless girl in the chamber that needs you. But here I am Harry I need you but I don't need you to save me.

Harry was shocked at her outburst. They sat there staring at each other. Ginny waiting for a response from him and he unable to create anything that would be considered intelligent. Ginny was the one that finally broke the silence that seemed to be so powerful over them.

"You think you have to save the world Harry, but who is going to save you? Who are you really protecting from getting hurt? You think I didn't know about what you will have to face? You think I was just some stupid little girl with an official Harry Potter fan club official poster hanging on her walls? Well look around Harry! The only Potter in this room is the one standing in my doorway. I knew what you were up against from the first. But I guess you think I am not worthy to stand by you like the rest of my family. That perhaps I am too weak to come.

Harry felt as if she had slapped him. All he wanted was to keep her from getting hurt but he seemed to have failed at even that. "You think that this choice was easy for me? You think I don't want you? I don't know how to make you understand the danger that you would be placed in if you were to come with us.

She looked up at him with tear-streaked eyes, her temper now flashing in them. "It is safe for Ron and Hermione, but not me. I was in the DA, I am a big girl, and I can take care of myself. You were not there in the castle, you didn't see, but ask anyone—I was able to hold my own against the Death Eaters! Harry, you think that you are protecting me. How is walking away from me protecting me?"

"Because, I have to." Harry said slowly lowering his eyes. He paused willing his feelings not to overtake him. Trying to keep his emotions in check. "Everyone I have ever loved has died." He slowly looked up to search Ginny's face looking into her eyes with a look that seemed to enter her very soul searching for something. For some kind of answer. The full weight of what he had just said caught her off guard and it took a minute to sink in. _Did he just say what I think he did? Did he just say that he loved me?_

At that moment she had to turn away from those eyes. Her heart was bursting and couldn't say all that she was feeling. Did she love him? There was no question about it. It wasn't always love. It may have been a school girl infatuation when she had sent the Valentine. A hero worship after he had shown up in the chamber of secrets killed the basallis and saved her from Tom. It was a silly school girl's wishful thinking that he would consider asking her to the Yule ball as a first choice and not as a last resort, and finally refusing to stay behind when he went after Sirius with no motive then that of true friendship. But all those things had lead to a love so deep that it was beyond understanding.

Harry slowly made his way across the room towards her. His warm and calloused hand gently touched her cheek and brought her eyes back to his. The pull was too great as she relaxed and returned his gaze. Meeting his eyes she realized that all she wanted was to stay there forever in his eyes. At that moment there was no wedding to get ready for, no looming war and battle to fight. It was just the two of them. The space between the two slowly grew smaller as they we entranced with each other. Then at the moment when she felt her heart would burst she felt his lips gently touching hers. Wanting, begging permission for a response from her lips. It was like she was waking up from a long sleep. She was home. At that moment the only thing in the world was the two of them. They could not hear the yelling and commotion that was happening in the kitchen. Nor could they hear the birds out the window singing praises of the beauty of the day. All that filled their ears was the sound of two hearts beating as one. This is where she wanted to be this is where she knew her forever started.

"Come with me." It was barley a whisper. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if he had really said it. "Please Gin." He whispered into her mouth. Before she could tell him all that was in her heart another cry came from downstairs tarring them apart. Only this time it was not a scream but the voice of Molly Weasley.

"FRED GIDEON WEASLEY!!! GEORGE FABIAN WEASLEY!!! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!

Ginny and Harry looked at each other all things forgotten but wondering what the twins had done now.

Taking her hand Harry led her down the stairs into the Weasleys kitchen. There sitting in a chair at the table was Fleur in her dressing gown with the beginning looks of what seemed to be the tip of a beak forming out of her perfect nose. If Ginny didn't know any better she would have sworn it was Tonks sitting there in her place because not only was her nose turning into the beak of a Veela but her hair every few seconds was changing colors.

Ginny and Harry dropped their hands to cover their faces to keep from laughing. Molly was furious. Ginny couldn't remember a time when her mother had ever looked so mad. "I told them no pranks!" She muttered under he breath, "But do they listen why wouldn't they I am only their mother." This was going to be entertaining.

"You needed us for something mother dear?" Fred asked innocently.

"Why Fleur what have you done to your hair I love it!" George added trying to keep his smile hidden.

"You put her right this instant! I know you two are behind this…this…disaster!" By now the whole family had come into the kitchen. All were trying their best not to laugh and Fleur with her new beak and a few scales here and there with her hair at the moment pink with orange polka dots.

The twins were laughing the loudest as they made their way towards Fleur and their mother. _If she starts throwing fireballs I am out of here_. Ginny thought laughing to her self.

Knowing that the twin's game was over and soon Fleur's hair would return to her beautiful silvery-blonde hair she elbowed Harry and motioned with her head to the front door where they could have a moment in private while the family was fussing over the twins and Fleur.

As they walked out of the house Ginny grabbed Harry by the hand and lead him into the trees. There was a lot to talk about and she did not fancy being interrupted any time soon.

When she got to a small clearing she stopped and turned to Harry. His eyes were still dancing with amusement of what had just happened. Mustering all the courage she could she closed the space between them and kissed him again. Hoping that somehow she could transfer every feeling she felt for him from her into Harry. For him to feel how much she loved him. How she would never stop loving him. And how no matter what happened they would always have each other.

"Gin," He whispered. Merlin he could stop her heart whispering her name. He pulled away from her kiss. "We really need to talk about this."

"Okay." She said disappointedly. She knew he was going to take back what he had said up in her room. She prepared herself for what was coming. Harry took her by the hand and gently pulled her down with him to sit on the cool grass.

"Gin, I don't know where to begin." She started to tell him she understood. That he had just said things in the heat of the moment he didn't mean. She prepared herself for the worse. That it was a complete misunderstanding on her part. That he didn't want her to come and even worse that he didn't love her.


	6. Chapter 6

OK I don't own it just so you all know!

Ginny busied herself focusing on twisting the long blades of grass around her fingers unwilling to look at him. She clenched her jaw tightly trying to prevent the tears from forming as she waited for Harry to continue. She knew what had happened in her room was too good to be true.

"Gin," He brushed his hand across her face trying to turn it to him but she held it in place. "Ginny, you don't know how hard this is for me. Please look at me. I'm sorry about before in your room. I didn't mean…"

"Don't," she interrupted. "Please just don't. If you are going to take back what you said just go now. Please I just can't keep doing this."

"You are not weak. Don't you ever say that again! I never have said that you are weak. That was always you saying that." He grabbed her face again this time forcing her to look at him. "You are one of the strongest, bravest, kindest, most caring people I know. I don't know what I would do if I were to lose you. I know it's a lot to take in so fast but Ginny, you are who I live for. You are who I fight for. I …I love you and need you. You were right. I was stupid to think that I could hide these feelings from him."

She looked up at him but could not will her voice to talk. She saw the pain and uncertainty fill his eyes as he misread her silence. "Please, I know I hurt you." He gently placed his head to hers noses almost touching. "Please say something."

Ginny's voice failed her. She wished she could tell him everything. How she planned to go with him. How much she loved him and wished that his task was taken away from him. That he didn't have to go to war but stay with her in this clearing forever.

"Ginny, please," In his eyes she saw hope, love, and pain. A pain that she had caused with her silence. He pulled away from her a look of defeat on his face.

He turned from her and began to stand up. Her hand shot up and stopped him from leaving. "Harry," It was barley a whisper. "Don't leave. Please just stay here with me. I need to know that you are here with me. That this is not just one of my silly school girl dreams." She pulled him closer to him. "Harry, I have waited for this moment for years. I have dreamed of the day that you would tell me that you loved me. I can't begin to explain the depth of my love for you. I am prepared to go to the ends of the world with you if you would have me."

Harry could no longer hold himself back. He quickly closed the space between them capturing her lips. He slowly pulled away. "Ginny, thank you." Was all he could utter.

They were pulled out of the moment as a voice called across the lawn. "Ginny," It was Hermione. "Ginny, are you out here? We have to start getting ready."

She looked one more time into Harry's eyes communicating all she wished to say before she left. She kissed him softly one more time standing up and walking back to the house. She paused and turned a final time with a smile playing across her face. "I will see you soon Harry."

"Ginny!" Hermione yelled.

"Coming Hermione." She ran back to the house leaving Harry sitting where he was frozen in place.

The wedding was beautiful. The love that Bill and Fleur shared was felt by the small group of friends and family that had attended. Fleur was stunningly beautiful as she walked down the aisle but Harry only had eyes for Ginny. He watched her as they exchanged vows. She would meet his gaze his heart feeling like it would burst every time she looked at him. Especially when she would blush and quickly turn her focus back to the wedding.

The reception after was one of dreams. Fairy lights lighted the whole garden, everything seemed to sparkle. Even the twins were on their best behavior after the prank that afternoon.

Music filled the garden and everyone began to dance. Harry was soon next to Ginny's side.

"Dance with me." He whispered in her ear. She nodded her consent and he took he hand and led her to the dance floor.

She laid her head on his chest listening to his heart beating as hers slowed to match his. At that moment there was no war, no dark wizard to fight; it was only the two of them together. She wished that she could stay in that moment forever. It was then that another thought came to her. Something she had been thing about since that morning but kept on putting those thoughts to the back of her head. She had a few more days to figure it out she just wanted to enjoy this moment as it was.

As they swayed to the music he slowly stroked her hair. He was singing along with the music. It melted her heart. At that moment they were both happy and all other matters were gone.

The night went to fast. She knew what was waiting in the morning. Harry walked her up to her room and kissed her good night. "Get some sleep Gin. I will see you in the morning."

She tossed and turned all night. Morning came too quickly. Ginny awoke early and was dressed sitting on the edge of her bed by the time Harry had come to her room his bag thrown carelessly over his shoulder.

He made his way over to her and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Gin, you ready?" He asked looking around the room. "Gin, where is your bag?"

Tears filled her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. She had gotten everything she wanted and now she was going to do the one thing she never thought she could possibly do.

"Ginny, look at me. What is wrong?" Tears were filling her eyes again. She hoped he would understand.

"Harry, I'm not going with you."

"What? No, Gin why?"

"I am needed here Harry. You will have Hermione and Ron with you. I am needed here. My family will need me to help them understand. I thought a lot about this last night. You don't need me where you are going. My family needs me here. You need me here. Think about it. I am going to go back to Hogwarts. I am going to go help where I can. Maybe start my own DA and make sure that if or when there is another attack or need that the students are not defenseless."

"Harry, I know what needs to be and yet it is so hard letting go of the one thing I want. The one thing I have wanted for years. Please, try to understand. I will love you no matter where you are. We will be together even if we are apart."

Harry looked at her his eyes filled with love and understanding. "Gin, you are much stronger than anyone gives you credit for. You amaze me. Of course I want you with me but yes, I understand. It makes sense for you to do what you have planned. You will be my life line. I will carry you with me no matter where we go. Keep Hedwig for me will you? She will be able to find me no matter where I am. Please, stay safe." He kissed her on last time and took her by the hand. They walked out the door of the Burrow together. She saw at the edge of the meadow her brother and Hermione.

Harry stopped her just before they reached them. "Ginny, stay safe. I will return soon. I will see you at Hogwarts. Please for me just stay safe. I love you."

"I love you to Harry. I never thought I could let you leave like this. But please do the same that you as of me. Stay safe. Come back to me."

"I will do everything in my power Gin. Never forget, you are a part of me I will carry you with me." He kissed her a final time wishing that it would never end she pulled away from him.

"Go, Ron and Hermione are waiting for you. I will see you soon." Harry turned from her and waked towards his two best friends. They began to walk away together he turned one final time and waved before disappearing.

She turned to the Burrow. He was gone and she was the one that stayed behind. But he didn't leave her. No matter what she knew of his love and because of that he would be with her no matter where he was.

A/N: So this is pretty much it. I have an epilogue to follow but it will not be coming for a few days since I will be reading the real story of Harry and Ginny! Please review!


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